My wife is on day 10 of being in the hospital. We are starting to move closer to the point where she will be coming home. Maybe even in the next few days. I want to share some insight I have gained through all this. Maybe it will help some of you or your loved ones in the future.

My employer, Delta, has been absolutely da tactic through all of this. My team, my leadership and everyone around me has been great and I really haven’t had to worry about anything there. If you find yourself in a situation where you have a loved one in the hospital work out your schedule and expectations early. Hopefully you will be as lucky as I am, but if not still push to have as much time as you can with the person who is getting care. Just being there to talk to is huge.

If the person in the hospital is a friend then visit them. Visit them frequently. When you leave from a visit ask when you can come back and do so. The worst thing my wife has faced has been boredom. Having friends and family visit have been huge for lifting her spirits. Being where I am now has shown me where I should have done better with other friends and family who have been hospitalized. It is wise to call or text before you do visit, and situations vary depending on the illness, but talking with people really does seem to help. Also, be willing to talk about things other than the person’s treatment. Bring them up to speed on what is going on with you.

Don’t ever be afraid to ask the doc or the nurse if you see something that doesn’t seem right. They are people too and shit happens. We have picked up on a few things that have been missed or forgotten. It happens.

Daytime TV is evil. Bring in their device. Bring in phone and tablet chargers. If you are in the same household then load their devices up with movies and books. I got my wife a whole series of Wonder Woman comics for the Kindle app just to mix things up. I’ve also pointed her to a few podcasts. That seems to help. They don’t take up much space, are interesting and can be enjoyed while relaxing.

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Those are just a few things that have come to me over the last week or so. Nothing earth shattering, but stuff that may be of use to some of you in the future.